The present invention relates to stone structures and products, and, more particularly, relates to a process for manufacturing simulated stone products from polymer-based composite materials.
It is well known that conventional stone products such as wall panels, columns, light standards, mailbox enclosures, planters, and the like are inherently heavy and cumbersome because of the nature of the underlying stone materials. In addition, manufacturing of stone products is likewise difficult and cumbersome because of the well known limitations of working with stone materials and related binders, glues, etc., especially in a mass-production environment.
Of course, once stone products are manufactured, there is still the problem of distributing and shipping the heavy structures. Breakage and accidents are, unfortunately, not infrequent. There is presently no reproducible methodology known in the art that enables xe2x80x9cstonexe2x80x9d products to be manufactured from a combination of materials excluding stone. What is needed is a formulation of materials and a methodology for manufacturing simulated stone products from these materials that afford the textural and functionality associated with stone structures and products, but none of the infirmities associated with manufacturing, distributing, and installing stone structures and products.
The present invention teaches simulated stone texture products that are manufactured from a specially formulated combination of non-stone materials that, when properly admixed and formed via molding techniques. Since these products are manufactured from formulations of materials based upon synthetic polymeric materials instead of stone materials, the simulated stone products are lightweight, safer to assemble into structures and products than conventional stone structures and products, and are easier to distribute and transport.
In another aspect of the present invention, special molding techniques have been discovered that engender the prerequisite textural surface attributes contemplated by the present inventionxe2x80x94that effectively simulate actual stone products and structures.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.